Gummed tape



Jan. 24, 1939. BAUER ET 2,144,610

GUMMED LTAPE Filed Aug. 22, 1938 Jordan Vfiaue 2 Z7072 gzfiazuley,

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATIEZII'I' OFFICE GUMMED TAPE Application August 22, 1938, Serial No. 220,074

8 Claim.

This invention relates to a new and improved type of remoistenlng tape and to a new and improved method for making the same.

By the term "amylaceous adhesives" we refer to those types of adhesives which are prepared from starches and starch degradation products such as dextrlns or starch gums.

The expression "remoistenlng tape containing an amylaceous adhesive is employed herein to describe paper or fabric in the form of a strip containing on one side thereof an adhesive which on being moistened, will immediately develop tackiness and act as a suitable adhesive for bonding the paper or fabric to other materials.

Although at present large amounts of gummed paper suitable for such purposes as labels, stamps and envelope seals are prepared with dextrin adhesives, dextrin adhesives have never been successful in replacing animal glue adhesives in the field of gummed tape for sealing the heavier types of boxes or for gummed paper or fabric which is to be used for purposes wherein it is required that the adhesive coating on being moistened will develop immediately strong adhesive properties and set up very rapidly to form a bond.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a new and improved type of gummed tape containing a vegetable remoistening adhesive of such exceptional adhesive strength that the tape is suitable for use where heretofore only gummed tape made from animal or fish glue remoistening adhesives could be satisfactorily employed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new means of utilizing to a greater extent the adhesive properties of our improved gum tape. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The reason for the supremacy of animal glue remoistening adhesives in the field of the stronger types of gummed paper or fabrics is due to the fact that they develop extreme tackiness immediately on being remoistened, do not tend to slip or slide on the surface to which they are applied even under conditions of considerable tension or sidewise pressure, and have suflicient cohesiveness while still wet to hold surfaces together which would normally tend to spring apart.

Some manufacturers of gum'med paper, in order to produce a product of desirable low cost and yet retain to a degree the superior adhesive properties of animal glues, sometimes incorporate a proportion of dextrin with the animal glue. These mixtures, however, are usually inferior in adhesive properties to the straight animal or fish glue adhesives,

We have discovered means of preparing, and a method of using amylaceous remoistenlng adhesives whereby they are rendered greatly superior to prior types of amylaceous remoistenlng adhesives and when employed as an adhesive coating for gummed tape, are even superior in quality and performance to the best grades of animal glue remoistenlng adhesives. We accomplish the ultimate result of our invention by a two-fold means, either of which means, however, is of value in itself, but when used together, they are supplementary and of additive value.

The first means by which we accomplish this result is by an improvement in the composition of the adhesive itself. The second and supplementary means by which we accomplish this result is by dissolving a proportion of borax or similar water-soluble borate saltsin the water used for remoistening the amylaceous adhesive film. This second or supplementary means is not only of value in conjunction with our improved adhesive composition, but also is of value when used in conjunction with prior types of amylaceous remoistening adhesives.

In addition to borax, various other materials such as alkalis, wetting agents, solvents, etc. may also be incorporated with the remolstening water. Sodium aluminate and similar soluble aluminates will function somewhat similarly to borax for this purpose. Generically, therefore, this feature of our invention involves theaddition of a viscosity increasing agent for amylaceous dispersions to the remoistenlng water.

It is well known to the adhesive art that the addition of borax to dextrin or starch gum adhesives increases their tackiness and viscosity. Because of this fact, a great percentage of "the dextrin and starch gum adhesives used today wherein the adhesive is applied in liquid or paste form and allowed to in situ, between the surfaces to be bonded, contain beta): or mixtures of borax with other alkaline materials. Up to the present, however, it has not been practical to use borax in those types of dextrin or starch gum adhesives which are used for remoistenlng purposes due to the fact that when films of dextrin or starch gum adhesives containing borax are dried, they do not develop sufliclent tackiness or adhesiveness rapidly enough on being remoistened to be suitable for such purposes as to which gummed papers or fabrics are applied.

Inasmuch as the characteristic of developing .adhesiveness immediately upon being remoistened is one of the essential and necessary features of a remoistenlng adhesive, it has not been possible by prior methods to incorporate in amylaceous remoistening adhesives the desirable characteristics which borax imparts to those types of amylaceous adhesives which are applied at the point of use in liquid form.

If, however, as taught by our invention, borax is introduced into the adhesive film on a piece of gummed paper or fabric by incorporating it with the water used to remoisten the film rather than by incorporating it with the adhesive mixture before it is applied to the paper or fabric and dried, the difliculties formerly encountered in using borax with amylaceous remoistening adhesives are avoided and yet the advantages of its use are attained. The introduction of borax by this means into the adhesive film just prior to the actual usage of thegummed paper or fabric greatly increases the rapidity with which the adhesive sets to form a bond without detracting from the important characteristic of developing immediate adhesiveness on being moistened with the borax solution.

These results and others are illustrated herein by means of tests made with the McLaurin gummed tape tester.

We have found that for the purposes of our improved type of amylaceous remoistening tape it is very important to prepare the proper type of adhesive base. The most satisfactory base for this purpose we have found to be an incompletely dextrinized starch or British gum convertedto a solubility of at least about 70%, and preferably from 70% to in water at 75 F., and a dextrin content of less than 55% as determined by the method of Babington, Tingle and Watson. See The examination of commercial dextrln and related starches, Babington, Tingle and Watson-J. Soc. Chem. Ind. 3'7 (1918) 257. Generically dextrinized starches and British gums are referred to herein as "amylaceous conversion products. A

The following method of determining dextrin content is the method of Babington, Tingle and Watson as described in the Journal of the Society of Chemical Industry, supra:

The sample (1 grm.) is warmed in a cc. graduated flask with 30 cc. of water until just gelatinized and cooled quickly; 50 cc. of a cold saturated barium hydroxide solution is next added (the flask being meanwhile shaken), followed by enough water to bring the total volume to 100 cc. The solution is filtered through a dry 15 cm. paper and an aliquot portion (50 cc.) of the filtrate pipetted into a platinum dish. After the addition of 2 drops of 1% phenolphthalein solution, N/l hydrochloric acid is added cautiously till the neutral point is just passed. A faint pink color is then restored by the addition of two or three drops of the barium hydroxide solution. A weighed quantity (about 10 grms.) of sand is added and the dish is heated on a water bath. The sand should be stirred when almost dry to expose the maximum surface to the air, after which the dish is transferred to a well regulated oven and dried to constant weight at 0., below which temperature crystallized barium chloride is dehydrated. Dextrin gum being hygroscopic, precautions must be taken accordingly. The dish is now heated strongly, but not beyond the temperature necessary for the complete combustion of the organic matter. During ignition the sand should be well stirred at intervals to allow full exposure to the air. The dish and contents are then cooled and Weighed. The difference in weight before and after ignition represents the dextrin gum in 50 cc. of filtrate, i. e., in half the weight of sample taken."

By the term British gum we refer to those types of starch degradation products that are formed by roasting or heating starch without or at the most, with very small amounts of acid catalysts as diflerentiated from dextrins which are formed from starch by roasting or heating the starch with relatively larger amounts of acid catalysts. The differentiation between dextrins and British gums is well recognized in the art of adhesive manufacture. See Manufacture of dextrin, envelope gums, British gums, and modified starches", Victor G. Bloede, Page 167, Comprehensive Survey of Starch Chemistry, vol. 1, Walton.

It is known to the adhesive art that British gums and incompletely dextrinized starches give stronger and tougher adhesive films than those types of dextrin products which have been more completely dextrinized. It heretofore has not been possible, for the purpose of remoistening tapes, to take full advantage of these desirable properties of sols prepared from British gum or incompletely dextrinized starches, probably due to the tendency of the more incompletely de graded portions of these materials to retrograde to a less soluble state, which when in the form of a dried film will not remoisten with sufficient rapidity to be suitable for those usages to which remoistening adhesives are applied.

We have found, however, by the use of an amylaceous adhesive base material within the solubility range and dextrin content above specifled, in conjunction with from 3% to 20% of urea, based on the weight of the amylaceous conversion product, that it is possible to prepare a remoistening adhesive which has superior adhesive properties and yet remoistens with the extreme rapidity that is necessary for adhesives of this type. The urea apparently functions as a solvent for the more incomplete degraded portions of the amylaceous base material and counteracts the retrogradation of this portion to a less soluble form. In general, the greater the solubility of the adhesive base used, the smaller the amount of urea necessary for satisfactory results.

The uniqueness of this result is shown herein by comparative tests on the McLaurin gummed tape tester which is the recognized instrument used in the industry for the purpose of comparing gummed tapes.

Its novelty may be further confirmed by a survey of the remoistening adhesives in present day commercial use for the purpose of manufacturing the stronger types of gummed paper. It will be found that only animal and fish glues, and to a lesser degree, mixtures of animal glue with dextrin, have the requisite remoistening properties and the extreme tackiness and rapidity of set that are necessary for this purpose.

For the purposes of our invention the urea may be mixed with the adhesive composition before it is applied to the paper or fabric or in may be introduced into the dried adhesive film by dissolving a proportion of urea in the water used for remoistening tile gummed paper or fabric prior to its actual use. Examples of both of these methods of procedure are given herein.

We have also discovered that by the use of urea with an amylaceous remoistening adhesive a small proportion of borax may be incorporated into the adhesive formula with a resultant favorable effect on its adhesive properties but without the detrimental effect on the remoistening properties of the adhesive film that is normally encountered when borax is incorporated with prior types of amylaceous remoistening adhesives not containing urea. When borax is thus used in our adhesive composition, we prefer to use less than 5% borax based on the weight of amylaceous content of the adhesive composition and to avoid over drying the adhesive film after it has been applied to the paper or fabric. If glycerine is used in the adhesive formula, a greater proportion of borax than the above mentioned amount may be used. We usually prefer that the amount of borax be not greater than the amount of glycerine. Thus, bearing in mind the foregoing considerations, the amounts of borax or other viscosity increasing agents are preferably varied over .a range from about 1% to about 10% of the amylaceous conversion products.

By the use of the specifically defined combination of materials we herein disclose we are able to produce a remoistening adhesive tape equivalent in adhesiveproperties to the better grades of animal glue remoistening adhesive tapes. This result has, to our knowledge, never before been attained with any prior type of amylaceous remoistening adhesives. Furthermore, by the use in conjunction with the above adhesive combination, of the second or supplementary means of our invention, namely, the introduction of borax into the water used to remoisten the adhesive film, it is possible to obtain adhesive results definitely superior to animal glue remoistening adhesives.

We realize the use of urea in conjunction with far decomposed dextrins, and in certain instances with starches, is not new. We believe, however,

that our use of urea in conjunction with. a British gum and/or an incompletely dextrinized starch of the type we herein define, is novel for the purposes of a remoistening adhesive tape and produces new and improved results.

For the purpose of our invention it is necessary to use a specific type of starch conversion product with a limited range of water solubility and dextrin content.

The unique results of our invention cannot be obtained by the mere use of urea in conjunction with any random type of degraded or dextrinized starch product. The prior art, to our knowledge, does not teach the value or use of urea and a starch degradation product, within the range we define, for the purposes of a superior remoistening adhesive tape.

The general type of remoistening tape covered by the present-invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which, as illustrated, an adhesive is applied as a coating to a paper strip. It will be understood that instead of a paper strip, a fabric strip may be employed, or alternatively, the strip may consist of a fabricbacked paper strip in which the exposed surface of the paper contains an.adhesive film. In general the present invention is especially adapted to the manufacture of gummed tape in which the base material is a cellulosic sheet material such as paper.

We illustrate below several of our preferred adhesive formulas and a comparison of their adhesive properties with other types of remoistening adhesives as indicated by the McLaurin gummed tape tester. The adhesive samples were prepared in the manner specified and applied to 601b.kraft paper under uniform conditions equivalent to present commercial practice. The pre-- pared samples of tape were then tested under uniform conditions on the McLaurin gummed tape tester according to the method specified by the ThwingAlbert Instrument Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, makers of the above instrument.

The readings obtained with the better grades of animal glue tape run as an average between 45 and 65 when using the same test paper as was used in the examples below:

The above materials were mixed together and cooked to a temperature of 190 F. The mixture was then cooled to F. and applied to the paper and dried. The British gum used was one having a solubility of in water at 75F. and a dextrin content of 36% as determined by the method of Babington, Tingle and Watson.

The McLaurin tests on tape prepared with this adhesive composition averages about 55 when the tape is moistened with water and when moistened with a saturated borax solution.

Example II Parts Tapioca dextrin Urea 10 Glycerine 5 Water 70 The above materials were mixed together and cooked to a temperature of F. and then cooled to 80 F., applied to the paper and dried.

The tapioca dextrin used was one having a solubility of 98% in water at 75 F. and a dextrin content, as above determined, of 96%.

The McLaurin test on tape prepared with this adhesive composition averaged about 14 when moistened with water and about 23 when moistened with a saturated borax solution.

A comparison of Examples I and 11 indicates the importance of using an amylaceous base material of the type defined.

Example III Parts Tapioca British gum 97 Borax 3 Urea 15 Glycerine 5 Water 95 The above materials were mixed together and cooked to a temperature of 190 F. and then cooled to 80 F., applied to the paper and dried. The British gum used was of the same characteristics as that used in Example I.

The McLaurin test on tape prepared with the above adhesive composition averaged 77 when moistened with water and 97 when moistened with a saturated borax solution.

This example illustrates the possibilities of incorporating a small amount of borax into the adhesive composition in conjunction with urea and glycerine. When borax is incorporated directly into the adhesive composition in this manner it is advisable to avoid over-drying the tape, as this will tend to decrease the rapidity with which the adhesive film will re'moisten and develop tackiness.

Example IV Parts Tapioca British gum 100 Glycerine 10 Water 90 The above materials were mixed together and cooked to 190 F. and then cooled to 80 F., applied to the paper and dried.

The tapioca British gum used in this example is of the same solubility and dextrin content as that used in Examples '1 and III.

The McLaurin tests on tape prepared with this adhesive composition averaged about 60 when the tape was moistened with a 10% solution of urea in water and 89 when moistened with a water solution containing 10% urea and 4% borax.

This example illustrates the means whereby urea may be introduced into the adhesive film by dissolving a portion of it in the moistening water instead of incorporating it in the adhesive composition before it is applied to the paper. If this procedure is followed, it is advisable to use a greater proportion of glycerine or similar plasticizing material in the adhesive than would be necessary if the urea had been originally incorporated with the adhesive composition.

Example V Parts Tapioca dextrin 100 Glycerine 5 Water 70 The above materials were mixed together and cooked to 190 F., then cooled to 80 F., applied to the paper and dried. The tapioca dextrin used in this example is of the same solubility and dextrin content as that used in Example II.

The McLaurin tests on tape prepared with the above composition averaged 16 when the tape was moistened with water and 29 when it was moistened with a saturated borax solution.

This example of an amylaceous remoistening adhesive is typical of the prior art practice in preparing adhesives of this type. Although the adhesive properties as indicated by the McLaurin test are inferior to those of our improved types of adhesive compositions illustrated in Examples I, III and IV, it should be noted that by the use of our supplementary means of incorporating borax in the remoistening water, the adhesive properties of such prior art types of adhesives can be substantially improved.

It should be understood that these various examples of adhesive formulae given above are for the purpose of illustrating the novel character of our invention and for the purpose of making clear the principle and the relative value of the means by which we obtain our result. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited by the specific examples herein disclosed, inasmuch as numerous variations may be made in the character of the adhesive base, and in the proportion of other ingredients used, without departing from the limits we define as essential for the purposes of our invention.

Various plasticizing agents, wetting agents, solvents, anti-foaming agents and filling materials may be used in conjunction with our preferred adhesive means for the purpose of obtaining those special effects for which the use of such materials is known to the adhesive art. Instead of glycerine, other plasticizing agents may be employed in adhesives of the types described in the examples, as, for instance, sodium lactate and other polyhydric alcohols, including ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol and the like. We employ a sufflcient amount of normally liquid plasticizing agent to prevent checks and cracks in dried films of the adhesive. The exact amount may vary depending largely upon the amount of urea employed, being less with larger amounts of urea. In general, good results have been obtained with about 1% to about of plasticizing agent based upon the weight of amylaceous conversion product. The term a water-soluble urea is employed herein to cover generically urea and its water-soluble analogues and homologues including thiourea.

In such instances where it is desirable, our disclosed adhesive compositions may be mixed with compatible adhesive materials such as animal glue, fish glue, casein, starch, natural gums and water-soluble natural or synthetic resins.

For the purpose of our improved type of adhesive we prefer to use amylaceous base materials, of the type defined, prepared from tapioca, sago, potato and sweet potato starches. Corn, wheat and rice starches may be utilized for our purposes with substantially good results, but they are inherently not as satisfactory for our purpose as those starches first enumerated.

Gumme'd tape made in accordance with the present invention develops extreme tackiness immediately upon being remoistened and is characterized by a very high rapidity of set. One of the further features of said tape resides in the fact that the adhesive contained thereon is substantially neutral and contains no ingredients which are harmful to paper or fabric or to the user in case the gummed tape is moistened by the tongue. Additionally, the adhesive film is extremely flexible and does not readily check or crack when the tape is flexed.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A remoistening tape of the character described, comprising a flexible cellulosic sheet material in the form of a strip and a dried coating thereon of a water-pervious vegetable adhe sive layer consisting mainly of a British gum converted to a solubility of from about 70% to 95% in water at 75 F. and a dextrin content less than about 55% intimately dispersed with about 3% to about 20% urea based upon the weight of British gum and about 1% to about 10% of glycerine, said adhesive possessing strong adhesive properties and being capable when moistened of developing tackiness and setting rapidly.

2. A remoistening tape of the character described comprising on at least one surface thereof a water-pervious layer of adhesive consisting mainly of a British gum converted to a solubility of from about 70% to about 95% in water at 75 F. and a dextrin content less than about 55% intimately dispersed with about 3% to about 20% of urea based upon the weight of the British gum and a sufficient amount of glycerine to prevent checking and cracking in dried films of said composition.

3. A remoistening tape of the character described having on at least one surface thereof a water-pervious amylaceous remoistening adhesive layer consisting mainly of a British gum converted to a solubility of at least 70% in water at 75 F. and a dextrin content less than about 55% intimately dispersed with about 3% to about 20% urea based upon the weight of the British ,gum and containing a sufficient amount of normally liquid plasticizing agent to prevent checking in dried films of said composition.

a water-pervious adhesive layer consisting main- 137 of an amylaceous conversion product converted to solubility in water at 75 F. of at least 70% and a dextrin content less than about intimately dispersed with a water-soluble urea and glycerine.

5. A remoistening tape of the character described comprising on at least one surface thereof a dried water-pervious layer consisting mainly of an amylaceous conversion product converted to a solubility oi: at least in water at F. and a dextrin content less than about 55% intimately vdispersed with about 1% to about 10% glycerine.

' 6. A remoistening tape of the character described comprising on at least one surface thereof a dried water-pervious layer consisting mainly of an amylaceous conversion product converted to a solubility 0! at least 70% in water at 75 1''. and a dextrin content less than about 56% intimately dispersed with a plasticizing agent in surficient amount to prevent checking and cracking of said film.

7. A remoistening tape of the character described comprising on at least one surface thereof a dried water-pervious layer consisting mainly of an amylaceous conversion product converted to a solubility in water of at least 70% at 75 F. and a dextrin content less than about 55% intimately dispersed with a substantial amount of a soluble borate and a substantial quantity of a normally liquid plasticizing agent sufllcient in amount to prevent checks and cracks in said dried film.

8. A remoistening tape comprising: a paper strip, a. water-pervious layer of adhesive on one surface thereof consisting mainly of an amylaceous conversion product converted to a solubility in water of at least 70% at 75 F. with a dextrin content less than about 55% intimately dispersed with a water-soluble urea in a minimum amount of about 3%.

- HANS F. BAUER.

JORDAN V. BAUER. DON M. HAWLEY. 

